James Holmes, shown in a March 12 appearance at a hearing in Centenntial , Colo., has offered to plead guilty in exchange for life in prison and no death penalty. / RJ Sangosti, AP

by Trevor Hughes and Gary Strauss, USA TODAY

by Trevor Hughes and Gary Strauss, USA TODAY

CENTENNIAL, Colo. - Arapahoe County prosecutors will seek the death penalty against graduate school dropout James Holmes, accused of first-degree murder in the deaths of 12 Aurora movie theater-goers last July.

At a court hearing Monday, District Attorney George Brauchler formally rejected a defense bid that Holmes plead guilty in exchange for a life sentence without parole. Holmes also faces charges for nearly 70 others who were wounded by gunfire or injured while fleeing. Judge William Sylvester entered a not guilty plea on Holmes' behalf last month.

"In this case, for James Egan Holmes, justice is death," Brauchler said, adding that his office had spoken with 60 people who lost loved ones in the shootings.

Holmes showed no visible reaction to the announcement, but his parents clasped hands and then embraced.

Brauchler's decision pushed Holmes' trial, scheduled to begin in August, until next year as well as a switch in judges.

Judge Carlos Samour, set a four-month trial to begin next February. He replaces Sylvester, who decided he lacked the time to oversee a death penalty case.

Holmes' court-appointed attorneys said in a court filing last week that their guilty plea offer could have ended prolonged legal maneuvering. "Mr. Holmes is currently willing to resolve the case to bring the proceedings to a speedy and definite conclusion for all involved," Holmes' lawyers said in their motion.

Without such a deal, public defenders Daniel King and Tamara Brady have indicated that an insanity defense is virtually a lock. They've said repeatedly at prior hearings that Holmes, who dropped out of a University of Colorado neuroscience doctoral program after failing a final exam in May, suffers from mental illness. Holmes, 25, was undergoing psychiatric care before dropping out in May.

But in a response to the filing, Brauchler said that the plea offer was a "unusual and unprecedented" and done as a publicity ploy that violated Judge William Sylvester's standing gag order on the case. Brauchler also contended the defense was prolonging the case.

Several times during the hearing, someone gasped from the victims seating area when defense attorneys pushed for delays and longer deadlines.

But Brady rejected prosecution claims that she and King were stalling.

"They are trying to execute our client. We will do whatever we can to protect his life," Brady said. "This is not an ordinary case. This is the most important matter this court, this courthouse will ever hear."

Legal experts say without a plea deal, an insanity defense may be Holmes' only legal recourse. At his January preliminary hearing, prosecutors presented seeming overwhelming evidence that showed Holmes methodically planning his July 20 attack at Aurora's Century 16 theater complex, buying an assault rifle, shotgun, two semi-automatic pistols, over 6,000 rounds of ammunition, bombmaking material and other gear for nearly two months prior to shootings.

Photos from his cellphone showed he had staked out the rear of the theater and exit doors before the shootings. Aurora police arrested Holmes in the rear of the theater parking lot minutes after the shootings.

Victims, relatives of the deceased and friends packed a courtroom and an overflow room where proceedings could be watched by TV.

Bryan Beard, whose best friend Alex Sullivan was killed, was pleased.

"I had a huge adrenaline rush," he said. "I love the choice, I love it, I love it. ... I hope I'm in the room when he dies."

Sylvester noted that it could take years for a final resolution in the case, a prospect that disturbed some victims.

"It could be 10 or 15 years before he's executed," said Pierce O'Farrill, who was shot three times in the attack. "I would be in my 40s, and I'm planning to have a family, and the thought of having to look back and reliving everything at that point in my life, it would be difficult."

Another shooting victim, Marcus Weaver, said following the hearing that while he opposes the death penalty, he would like to see the case resolved.

"If (Holmes would) just plead guilty we could all move forward,'' Weaver said. "That's all it's all about at this point. Man up. Save us all the difficulty. Accept what you did. Accept your fate. If you're guilty, you're guilty."